WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: ZERO_SUGAR

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Chapter 28: Hasunbu Seolcho (3)

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“Urk!”

It felt as though an explosion had gone off inside my body.

The hot poisonous energy and cold ki collided, and indescribable agony consumed me.

I tried to activate the innate life energy within my body through the Innate Cultivation Technique and contain the pain, but I only seemed to have provoked it.

Crack!

“Argh!”

My straight back bent over.

- WoonHwi, you must stay conscious. Do not stop circulating your ki.

The Southern Heavenly Steel Sword tried to encourage me.

The pain of my organs being torn apart was so unbearable that I could not circulate my ki.

- Hey! Did you return to the past just to die like this? Get a hold of yourself!

Then the SoDam Sword's shout rang through my mind.

At that moment, it felt as though cold water had been poured over my head.

It was right.

I had died and been given another chance.

If I could not overcome even this much pain and fell here, would I not be worse than I had been in my previous life?

That thought helped me steel myself.

I focused on the hot poisonous energy and cold ki rampaging wildly inside me.

‘The two energies are colliding and fighting each other.’

Neither was friendly.

Both were trying to harm me, so they kept crashing together within my body.

My body was not some battlefield.

‘Focus.’

I could not let the two rampaging energies sweep me away.

I imagined the innate life energy in my Central Dantian as a tranquil lake.

A lake that remained calm and still even when thunder and lightning raged around it.

Peace settled over my mind.

‘Slowly... very carefully...’

Drip!

A droplet fell into the tranquil lake I had formed in my mind, creating a small ripple that slowly spread outward.

Thump! Thump! Thump!

At that moment, I felt the pulse of the innate life energy lodged in my chest.

The pulse grew stronger in response.

The innate life energy gradually increased until it could encompass the two energies raging within me.

Tense!

The veins all over my body stood out.

Ignoring that, I focused solely on the ripples in my mind.

‘Ah!’

As the innate life energy gradually grew stronger, the two violently clashing energies began to subside.

More precisely, they seemed to be blending together.

As the cold ki and hot poisonous energy mixed, my organs began to relax, as though savoring a smooth, potent liquor.

- Southern Heaven! Look. The wound on the top of his foot is healing.

- Watch for now. We must not interrupt him.

The two swords were saying something, but their voices sounded muffled.

What were they saying?

Were they worried about me?

I tried to listen closely to them.

But the muffled sounds were not coming from the two swords alone.

- ...

- ...

Whispers sounded from every direction.

Voices echoed throughout my mind from all sides, making me dizzy.

What were these voices?

What were they trying to tell me?

Then a clear voice rang through my mind.

- Having begun to heed Sword Listening, Celestial Jade shall open.

‘That voice?’

I snapped awake.

When I opened my eyes, blue flames were flickering over my right hand.

Sizzle!

As something burned, the marks on the back of my hand began to change.

‘This is...?’

Among the seven marks forming the Big Dipper, Celestial Jade, the second star, was turning blue.

Once it became a completely blue mark, the flames subsided.

It was as though they had been drawn into the back of my hand.

- Are you conscious again?

- WoonHwi, has the poisonous energy subsided?

The SoDam Sword and Southern Heavenly Steel Sword asked worriedly.

‘Didn't you see the blue flames just now?’

- Blue flames? What are those?

- What? Didn't you mention something like that before?

Again.

They had not been able to see it when I was in the carriage before, and it was the same now.

Was I the only one experiencing this strange phenomenon?

I still had no idea what was happening to me.

- WoonHwi, is your body all right?

The Southern Heavenly Steel Sword asked again as I sat there in confusion.

I should check my condition first.

‘Hm?’

Yet my body felt refreshed.

Before I began circulating my ki, it had felt as though my organs were burning and freezing at once. Now, beyond merely feeling comfortable, my entire body felt light.

“Huu.”

I should circulate my innate life energy and examine the inside of my body as well.

I steadied my breathing and circulated the Innate Cultivation Technique.

I moved the innate life energy in my Central Dantian, then...

‘What?’

- What is it? Is there a problem?

The Southern Heavenly Steel Sword asked in alarm.

If it was a problem, then it was one.

Something so shocking had happened that I was speechless.

‘It increased.’

- What increased?

‘...My innate life energy.’

The innate life energy settled in the middle of my chest, within my Central Dantian, had increased.

And not by a small amount.

- How much has it increased?

‘It seems to have doubled.’

Originally, I possessed innate life energy equivalent to fifteen years.

Yet its amount had doubled.

If it were measured, it would now be refined innate life energy equivalent to thirty years.

- Incredible!

- Good heavens!

The SoDam Sword and Southern Heavenly Steel Sword cried out in surprise at the same time.

Why were they more shocked than I was?

I had never imagined something like this would happen either.

- How could this be... My former master said that innate life energy is close to vitality, so it is difficult to increase even with most Elixirs. Only constant circulation and extreme... Ah!

- Why did you stop talking halfway through?

- I understand now.

‘Understand what?’

I wanted to know too.

Why had my innate life energy doubled?

- Since innate life energy is directly connected to vitality, which can be called life itself, it is stimulated more intensely when you are placed in extreme circumstances.

‘Then this happened because of the poison?’

- The poison, and I suspect the severe cold ki from the spirit herb you consumed, both stimulated it.

Was that it?

The war between the two energies within my body must have pushed me into an extreme situation.

It had hurt so badly that I felt as though I would die.

What an ironic turn of events.

‘Overcoming pain bad enough to kill me made me stronger?’

The more I learned about innate life energy, the more completely different it seemed from internal energy.

In any case, this incident had become a fortunate encounter for me.

Innate life energy doubled in amount would far surpass even an Advanced master in terms of internal energy.

- Congratulations, WoonHwi.

- You really are absurdly lucky!

Their delight made me happy as well.

Was this what people called a fortunate encounter?

Still, I had noticed something earlier.

The cave, which had been dark, was more visible than it should have been.

It had clearly been dark, so it was strange that I could see so well.

It was as though both my eyes had grown brighter.

- What is it?

‘Something is strange. The cave is so clea...’

“Gasp!”

As I looked around, I unconsciously glanced behind the Southern Heavenly Steel Sword, which I had been leaning against like a backrest. Startled, I staggered backward.

Behind the spot where the Southern Heavenly Steel Sword had been embedded in the ground lay a huge, grotesque creature that had been cut to pieces.

Its body resembled that of a snake, but it was enormous.

‘What is that?’

Its head was not that of a snake. It was shaped like a human face.

Yet it could hardly be called human. Pointed fangs and four eyes crowded together on its face, making it look like a frog.

The sight was so disgusting that I could not help frowning.

What was it?

- I do not know. It may be a spiritual beast.

‘That is a spiritual beast?’

- There is no other way to explain a creature with such a form.

The Southern Heavenly Steel Sword's reasoning made sense, but it was far too hideous to be a spiritual beast.

And I had not noticed before, but now that I could see clearly, the cave was littered with what looked like bone fragments.

They were probably the remains of those this human-faced monster had killed.

‘Ha!’

It was far too vulgar for a spiritual beast.

And if it really had been a spiritual beast, should it not have left behind an inner core when it died?

Instead, it lay there dead with only its tongue hanging out.

‘A spiritual beast? It is just a monster.’

I became curious.

Had the person who found a Hasunbu Seolcho before my return also encountered this monster?

Then the Southern Heavenly Steel Sword asked me with confusion in its voice.

- ...WoonHwi, can you hear my voice?

‘I've been hearing you all along. What are you talking about?’

I shook my head at the question, which made it sound as though we had only just met.

Then I suddenly understood why it had asked.

‘Ah?’

I was not touching the Southern Heavenly Steel Sword at all.

Yet I could hear its voice.

* * *

After leaving the waterfall cave, I immediately used my movement skill.

The swords said that nearly a two-hour period had passed while I circulated my ki to overcome the poisonous energy.

It had felt brief, but so much time had passed.

- This really is strange.

The SoDam Sword's mutter rang through my mind.

Like it said, I was astonished too.

Previously, I could hear a sword's voice only when I was in direct physical contact with it.

But that was no longer the case.

I could hear its voice even after letting go of it.

- How far away can we be before you stop hearing us?

There was not enough time to properly test it.

Still, judging from the fact that I could hear the Southern Heavenly Steel Sword from more than five jang away, it seemed the range was considerable.

‘Is this also the power of the Secret Records of the Sword Sage?’

One thing was certain. Something had changed after I heard that voice.

I glanced at the marks on the back of my hand.

Could this mysterious ability grow stronger each time the color of a mark changed?

My questions only deepened.

If I ever had the chance to leave Blood-Nurturing Valley, I would have to seek out the Secret Records of the Sword Sage.

Tap tap tap tap!

Then faint footsteps reached my ears.

I looked toward the sound.

Someone was running toward me from afar.

‘Young Lady Ha Yeon?’

The person running toward me was Young Lady Ha Yeon.

Though she was quite far away, I could distinguish exactly who it was.

‘Ha...’

It seemed my innate life energy really had grown stronger.

At that distance, I normally would not have been able to see or hear so clearly. Now, it felt as though both my eyesight and hearing had improved.

- It is a good sign. Once you accumulate more innate life energy, you will even notice an opponent concealing their presence. Naturally, that assumes they are weaker than you, WoonHwi.

The Southern Heavenly Steel Sword never simply told me pleasant things.

The more I experienced these changes, the more I wanted to become stronger.

“Pant, pant! Young Master!”

Young Lady Ha Yeon called out to me as she panted.

She had sweated so much that a thin layer of frost had formed in her hair, and her face was bright red.

It was obvious how hard she had pushed herself.

‘Did she chase those people until now?’

If so, she truly was an impressive woman.

Because her build was so large, even running would likely consume more stamina for her than for most people, yet she seemed to possess formidable willpower.

“Young Lady, I am glad you are safe.”

“Pant... pant...”

After breathing heavily, she steadied herself.

Then she asked me,

“Pant... pant... Young Master, are you all right?”

“I am fine.”

“I am sorry. I should have released your blood pressure points before chasing after them.”

This woman was more considerate than I had expected.

I had not expected her to apologize as soon as she saw me.

“It is nothing. The circumstances did not allow it, did they? Fortunately, they must have sealed my blood pressure points lightly, since I was able to free myself.”

“Pant... That is a relief. I was worried the cold might have harmed you.”

I wondered if I should tell her the truth.

Not necessarily about the innate life energy, but that I had freed myself quickly and found the real Hasunbu Seolcho.

Before I could say anything, however, she smiled and spoke first.

“I have good news.”

“Good news?”

“We caught the people who attacked us. Fortunately, Master... Ah! Young Master, what happened to the top of your foot?”

“Ah... This is...”

“Those people did this to you! How could they?”

She vented her anger in a sharp voice.

Thanks to that, it seemed I would not need to explain my encounter with the monster.

There was no benefit in letting others know about a fortunate encounter.

“Let me see. Are you badly hurt?”

“It is fine. It is only a small puncture.”

“There is so much blood on your leather shoes.”

This would be troublesome if she saw it.

The wound had healed completely after I circulated my ki, so I did not want her to see it.

I hurriedly changed the subject.

“More importantly, you said you caught the attackers. Does that mean you recovered the Hasunbu Seolcho as well?”

“Ah!”

She nodded at my question.

“Fortunately, Master was there, so we caught them.”

“The Sixth Blood Star?”

“Yes. We were lucky.”

“Who were the culprits?”

“...They were Squad leaders from Blood-Nurturing Valley.”

Just as I expected.

Who else would have done such a thing?

Still, they were truly unfortunate people.

It was not enough that they had stolen an immature Hasunbu Seolcho, they had been caught by the Blood-Hand Witch along the way. Tsk, tsk.

Then Young Lady Ha Yeon said with an apologetic expression,

“Young Master, I should apologize first.”

“Yes?”

“To be safe, I asked my master to take the medical herb to the Divine Doctor first. Please do not misunderstand. We will definitely give you the plaque.”

She had entrusted it to the Blood-Hand Witch?

It did not matter because it was fake, but would she truly hand over the plaque just because her disciple asked?

Perhaps my expression revealed my feelings, because Young Lady Ha Yeon cautiously said,

“She will definitely give you the plaque.”

“How can I believe that?”

“...She may ask your master, the Venerable One, to grant her a request in exchange for giving him the plaque.”

Hmm...

Was that really giving it freely?

That changed things somewhat.

* * *

In front of the Guest House on the right side of Blood-Nurturing Valley's main hall.

Evil Heaven, the Bizarre Oddity, and Han BaekHa, the Blood-Hand Witch, stood facing one another outside the residence where the Omnipotent Godly Doctor was staying.

Evil Heaven did not look pleased.

His face was deeply furrowed with dissatisfaction.

Han BaekHa spoke to him with her usual blank expression.

“It is as I told you. If the Venerable One grants my request, I will hand over the Divine Doctor's plaque.”

Evil Heaven's expression hardened even further at her words.

What request had she made to provoke such a reaction?

“I told you I would not involve myself in that matter.”

“You will have to make a choice soon anyway.”

“Choice or no choice, do you think I would grant your request merely to save one disciple's dantian?”

“You make it sound simple.”

“If it comes to it, I can abandon the boy.”

Han BaekHa pressed her lips together at Evil Heaven's firm response.

‘Is he bluffing? Or does he mean it?’

Han BaekHa was cool-headed, but even for her, Evil Heaven the Bizarre Oddity was difficult to persuade.

Still, she did not want to miss this rare opportunity.

“Is supporting the young lady so difficult...”

Rattle!

Before she could finish, the door opened.

“Forgive me for keeping you waiting.”

The Omnipotent Godly Doctor walked out from the guest room.

Han BaekHa gave Evil Heaven a regretful look.

“It cannot be helped. Then it will be difficult for me to give you the plaque.”

With those words, Han BaekHa handed the cloth-wrapped Hasunbu Seolcho from within her robes to the Omnipotent Godly Doctor.

“Please take it. It is a spirit herb.”

“You found it quickly. I thought it would take several days.”

The Omnipotent Godly Doctor accepted the medical herb with satisfaction.

Evil Heaven's expression as he watched was terribly displeased.

He felt like overturning everything before him.

“Master!”

So WoonHwi and Ha Yeon appeared near the Guest House just then.

Evil Heaven said irritably,

“It is already too late. Your dantian will never be repaired in your life...”

Before he could finish,

“What a pity, Sixth Blood Star. This is not a fully matured spirit herb.”

“What?”

Han BaekHa, the Blood-Hand Witch, frowned and asked in response to the Omnipotent Godly Doctor's words.

Ha Yeon was also flustered by the unexpected result.

After all the hardship and even a chase, the herb was not fully grown. Everything had come to nothing.

“Khahahahahahat!”

Naturally, Evil Heaven welcomed this development.

He had been troubled at the thought of losing the Divine Doctor's plaque, but that irritation was now completely washed away.

Evil Heaven spoke gleefully.

“Blood-Hand Witch, what will you do now? You will have to search for the spirit herb again.”

“Ha...”

Han BaekHa sighed.

She had gotten ahead of herself for nothing.

Then So WoonHwi, who had been quietly watching, interjected.

“Forgive my interruption, Master, but that will not be necessary.”

“What?”

So WoonHwi took something from within his robes.

A purple flower holding seven beads, glowing softly green in the darkness.

It was a fully matured Hasunbu Seolcho.

‘!!!’

Everyone looking at it wore a different expression.

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